Perception on Working Conditions and Utilization of Clinical Research Coordinators among Investigators and Sponsors

Ihn Sook Jeong; Sangmin Choe; Ji Hyang Yoon; Eun Hwa Yun

doi:10.0000/jkscpt.2012.20.1.60

Journal List > J Korean Soc Clin Pharmacol Ther > v.20(1) > 1055116

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Jeong, Choe, Yoon, and Yun: Perception on Working Conditions and Utilization of Clinical Research Coordinators among Investigators and Sponsors

Original Article

Journal of Korean Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Journal of Korean Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2012; 20(1): 60-73.

Published online: 30 June 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/jkscpt.2012.20.1.60

Perception on Working Conditions and Utilization of Clinical Research Coordinators among Investigators and Sponsors

Ihn Sook Jeong¹, Sangmin Choe², Ji Hyang Yoon¹, Eun Hwa Yun²

¹College of Nursing, Pusan National University, Korea.

²Clinical Trial Center, Pusan National University Hospital, Korea.

Corresponding author (jeongis@pusan.ac.kr)

Received 9 January 2012 Revised 3 May 2012 Accepted 10 May 2012

Abstract

Background

This study was aimed to investigate the perception on working conditions and utilization of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) among investigators and sponsors.

Methods

The participants of this cross-section study were 114 investigators and 138 sponsors including clinical research associates (CRAs) who have worked with CRCs. Data was collected with paper or electronic form of self-administered questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive statistics and χ² test or t test.

Results

Among investigators and sponsors, 56.1 % and 95.0 % perceived regular full-time positions as proper type of CRC employment, respectively. Those who perceived monthly salary with incentive as proper payment system were 67.5 % of investigators and 68.8 % of sponsors. The proper salary for 2-year CRCs and 5-year CRCs were significantly higher in sponsors than investigators. Investigators perceived CRCs could handle 3 studies as the same time and 5 studies per year. In regard to the difficulty in utilizing CRCs, 68.4 % of investigators perceived lack of experienced CRCs and 84.8 % of sponsors did frequent turnover. Those who responded pooling CRCs by hospital or clinical trial centers as a good solution to hire CRCs easily were 81.6 % of investigators and 58.0 % of sponsors.

Conclusion

Almost all investigators and sponsors perceived CRCs were helpful for improving the quality of clinical trials. We recommend each institution or clinical trial centers could introduce the central CRCs' employment and management with proper salary and workload based on the results to maintain experienced CRCs and lessen the turnover of CRCs.

Keywords: Employment, Salary, Workload, Utilization, Clinical research coordinator

Figures and Tables

Table 1

General characteristics of study participants

Table 2

Comparison of perception on the working condition of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) between investigators and sponsors

^*χ² for trend test.

Table 3

Comparison of perception on the utilization of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) between investigators and sponsors

^*Responded by investigators only who have hired CRCs before. ^†CTC: Clinical trial center. ^‡Fisher's exact test.

Table 4

Investigator's perception on the working condition of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) whether investigator's institution is designated as a RCTC^*

^*RCTC: Regional clinical trail center. ^†Fisher's exact test.

Table 5

Investigator's perception on the utilization of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) whether investigator's institution is designated as a RCTC^*

^*RCTC: Regional clinical trial center. ^†Responded by investigators only who have hired CRCs before. ^‡CTC: Clinical trial center. ^§Fisher's exact test.

Table 6

Sponsor's perception on the working condition of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) by position

^*Fisher's exact test. ^†χ² for trend test.

Table 7

Sponsor's perception on utilization of clinical research coordinators (CRCs) by position

^*CTC: Clinical trial center. ^†Fisher's exact test.

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